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Reading Challenge: Stephen King

Stephen King novels are what made me fall in love with reading as an adult. I’ve always been a fan of the horror and macabre, I can distinctly remember an early nightmare involving my ballet class and Dracula when I must have been seven. My dad is also a fan of horror, and never had the strongest respect for age ratings. If he’d watched something and deemed it appropriate, we were then permitted to watch it. Species and Poltergeist were in no way appropriate at the time for my ten year old sister or eight year old brother, but they weren’t permanently scarred.

The first Stephen King book I can remember getting my hands on was Carrie, and I scoured charity shops for that thing for months. Sadly it went over my head, at twelve the change of media in the narrative ruined the progression of the story, which is funny as I now have a new respect and love for the novel. I think the next King novel I found was The Shining which cemented my love of King.

If I find a King fan I honestly get so enthusiastic and over excited. Sadly though, I haven’t opted for King novels recently. I’ve leaned more towards romance, drama or fantasy novels. The last King Novel I read was Cujo which I devoured, I couldn’t put it down, it reminded me why I fell in love with Stephen King novels. There are few other novels that I become so completely obsessed with.

So I’m setting myself a reading challenge of a Stephen King Novel a month, for the next year. This will be alongside the Book Club monthly read, I’m pretty certain I can do two novels a month. All but one, these have all been grabbed from charity shops, I’m attempting to control my spending and this was an easy way. I will also be re donating any I don’t fall massively in love with.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

Doctor Sleep

Misery 30/01/17

The Green Mile 7/7/14

Stephen King On Writing

Stephen King Goes To The Movies

The Dark Half

The Stand

Gerald’s Game (thank you Sam!) 19/04/2016

Christine

It 2/10/2016

Needful Things 6/5/16

bonusHorns: Joe Hill11/4/2016

I have already read 1 and 3 and started reading 8 around six years ago and kept getting distracted. I’ve left half of this list free (I had, now I only have one free space!) to enable me to find a King novel I really want to read. I’m tempted by Dolores Cailborne, Different Seasons (Where Shawshank Redemption is found as a short story)and am considering allowing myself a cheat book with Joe Hill (king’s son)’s Horns.

Either way expect more book reviews! Do you have a favourite author who’s back catalogue you would like to make your way through? Do you have any Stephen King Recommendations?